2021: A Year of Accelerated Change (and Top Posts)

I’ve thought a lot this year about the pace of change. We know from the study of ancient civilizations that multiple generations could pass with only the most modest and trivial changes in tools and methods for survival. You might have a lived a life shockingly similar to your great-great-grandfather, swinging a very similar hammer.

Yet as 2021 comes to a close, I can attest that my grandfather looks upon the world with dumbfounded astonishment, unable to clear his full voicemail inbox on his now ancient flip phone that, only a little over a decade ago, felt like the dawn of a new era.

Here at Clipping Chains, we (the royal we) bang many a table on the benefits and detriments of exponential or compound growth. If we have our money in appreciating assets, we can more readily build wealth. If saddled with interest-laden loans, we are subject to the dark side of compound growth.

The last two years have also (hopefully) given us a real-life primer on biologic exponential growth. We’ve seen the health and societal effects of exponential viral growth. This video below is an excellent, non-political, non-alarmist, and easily digestible math lesson on exponential growth and epidemics from the early days of 2020.

The Brain and Rate of Change

The human brain evolved to swing granddaddy’s hammer, able to accommodate slow and incremental progress. Now, however, that hammer is changing constantly and at an ever-increasing rate. Change is the greatest catalyst of fear, and fear breeds anger, resentment, distrust, and divisiveness.

You may now be excused for feeling left behind from time to time.

Are we experiencing growing pains, a societal toothache for the baby teeth of human development? Or are these the beginning of a downward decline, defined by that fluttering feeling felt deep in the chest of a rollercoaster rider ready for the big drop? Time will tell, but so long as we keep the hope, I’m ever the optimist.

In 2022, I’d love to see exponential growth of kindness. Anyone want to develop an app for that?

Anyway, here are the top ten written posts, as confirmed only by web traffic.

2021 Top Written Posts: A Year of Change

How to Have Negative Health Insurance Costs

The cost of health insurance was our number one concern in “early retirement.” We’re happy to report that we are now getting paid to have insurance.

Six Important Reasons Not to Retire Early

Early retirement is glamorized as the ultimate end-game to financial independence. But are we just jumping between frying pans?

The Bold And Beautiful Roth Conversion Ladder

This is THE strategy for spending retirement money early, without tax or penalty.

Value Spending: How to Really Save Money

Skipping the latte might be missing the forest for the trees. (Written and podcast)

Your 2021 Guide To Actually Saving Real Money

Simply put, a step-by-step guide to jump-starting your personal finance journey.

Some Fantastic News on Health Insurance Costs

The plans under the Affordable Care Act just got a lot more attractive.

Six Lessons From a Year Without a Job

Musings on the missed benefits of work, and some honest mirror gazes.

The Shocking Truth About Sleep

Sleep is even more important than you think.

Should I Quit My Job? I Want to Climb!

Maybe, maybe not.

Emotional Fragility: Is This the New Normal?

Life is unquestionably better and easier in modern times. Yet for so many of us…life still sucks. We aren’t happy, and we’re getting less happy every year.

Why are we so unhappy when life is so much easier? Are we becoming an emotionally fragile society?

Podcast Interviews: A Year of Change

In our recent discussion Kenzie King reminded us that fear is our most worthy adversary when faced with change. After considering a change to the podcast format for nearly as long as I have been writing here, I finally faced my fears and did the damn thing.

I deeply value your constructive criticism and feedback. Are you valuing the podcast? Do you want to punch me in the digital throat? Please leave a comment below or email me. Even easier, you can leave a rating and/or review on Apple Podcasts and now even on Spotify Podcasts.

I can’t in good faith pick favorite interviews, nor do I wish to share statistics on interview popularity. In short, switching to this format is one of my best decisions of 2021. Writing can be a lonely and solitary existence. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed connecting with friends new and old, and I’ve gained so much from the many different perspectives.

All 2021 Podcast Episodes

If you’d like to check out random posts from any year, either check out a list of all posts here or check out a randomly generated post from the vault here (scroll to the bottom).

I can’t thank you enough for all your kind support. Let’s finish strong and get on the good foot for 2022.

With Love,

Chad

December 2021